What is Academic Success?
Before we discuss how to achieve academic success we need to make it clear that academic success is not only defined by good grades in examinations. This is merely a part of the whole education journey.
There are many other factors to consider that will influence a child’s academic success, and whilst it is important to focus on IQ and academic abilities, it is of equal importance to develop a child’s SQ, EQ and AQ.
Education is about developing a wealth of different qualities and intelligence in young people and thus preparing them for the world outside of the classroom.
In this article, we will explore strategies to promote academic success in students who are online schooling - in order to best prepare them for a happy and healthy future.
1. Student motivation and personalisation
Children learn better when they want to learn, when they have an active interest in the subject matter and when the teaching methods are personalised to their unique learning needs. The first step in achieving academic success is to understand your child’s preferred style of learning.
By adapting the lessons to their preferred learning style you will help instil a love for learning and ensure that they are self-motivated in their studies. Forcing kids to study when they don’t want to can create a negative association with schooling and this can damage the child’s perception of learning.
2. Time management
Trying to cram your studying into as many hours as possible is not an effective way of retaining information. Our brains (and bodies) need breaks so make sure that your child takes regular breaks whilst studying.
Get your child to set up their own study timetable based on their learning preferences. This will help them assume ownership and avoid them feeling like they are being forced to study.
Some children prefer to take breaks often, while others are in the “learning mode" and prefer to learn for longer periods of time. This will also depend on the age of the child. Most children have a shorter memory span, and breaking the timetable into 30-45 minute study sessions makes it easier to manage.
This is one of the reasons why CambriLearn’s live lessons are between 30-45 minutes long (depending on the grade). This helps ensure that the students maintain focus and allows for optimal knowledge retention.
3. Create a dedicated workspace
When schooling online, it is important to set up a workspace that is conducive to learning. Encourage the child to keep their workspace neat and tidy. A clean work area can help keep them motivated and avoid distractions.
Keep pens, paper and books etc. in an organised manner to avoid clutter. Keep these items accessible to avoid having to get up and break their concentration.
Other factors to consider when setting up a workspace are furniture, posture and lighting. A child’s desk should come to their rib cage and their chair should fit the height of the desk. The child should be able to rest their feet on the floor and avoid hunching their shoulders.
Ensure that there is enough light in the room and also make sure that their screen is not set too bright as this can also put strain on their eyes.
4. Ask questions
In order to ensure that students understand the lesson content, it is important that they feel comfortable asking questions. Whether they are attending a live lesson, virtual Q&A or 1-on-1 tutoring session, CambriLearn students are able to engage directly with their teachers and peers to have healthy conversations in a virtual classroom environment.
While studying through an online school like CambriLearn, it is important for students to remember they are a part of a global learning community.
5. Mock exams and past papers
A great way to prepare for examinations is to practice practice practice! CambriLearn students have access to past exam papers so that they can test their knowledge base and gain a better understanding of common questions that may be asked in their final assessment. This will also help students familiarise themselves with the format and structure of the question papers.
When teachers set exams they often refer back to old exam papers, so working through past exam papers is a valuable tool in ensuring that you have studied the right topics and concepts.
Parents and teachers should encourage students to complete mock exams and past papers in a staged exam setting to help improve their knowledge base and prepare them mentally and emotionally for a more controlled examination environment.
6. Create Study Notes
Study notes are a great way to improve knowledge retention. There are various strategies for students to implement when creating study notes to help them digest their course content and create revision material.
Some of these strategies include;
Diagrams: Visual aids can be a great tool in breaking down information into bite-sized pieces. Diagrams are great for memory recall and can help students understand the bigger picture.
Summarisation and Annotations: Students can write summaries of content that they have read, listened to, or covered in class. Annotations are keywords written in the margin of a page of text.
Keyword Mnemonic: A mnemonic is a combination of letters, ideas, or associations which assists in remembering something. For example, a common mnemonic for the order of operations in Math is “BODMAS”. The BODMAS rule states that mathematical equations with multiple operators need to be solved from left to right in the order of BODMAS;
- B – Brackets
- O – Order of powers or roots
- D – Division
- M – Multiplication
- A – Addition
- S – Subtraction
7. Re-watch Live Lessons
Studies have shown that the visual and auditory nature of videos allows viewers to process and retain information more effectively. All the CambriLearn Live lessons are recorded and saved on the platform. These lessons are available for students to watch at any time. Parents can help children ensure academic success by encouraging them to re-watch Live lessons on difficult topics like Geometry.
8. Project-based learning
Children learn better through hands-on experiences and interaction. A child who is learning about the ocean would benefit from a trip to the beach or if they are learning about addition or subtraction they can play card games.
By encouraging a child to engage in project-based learning they can use all their senses and intuitions. Combining hands-on activities and experiences into lessons makes learning fun and interesting. This will help the child’s memory and knowledge retention.
9. Hire an online tutor
Whether you are looking to improve your grades in development areas or if you require extra assistance to help achieve a university acceptance, CambriLearn offers 1-on-1 online tutoring and learning support. Our subject-specialist tutors offer strategic support to help improve key development areas.
10. Social-emotional learning
Developing a child’s social and emotional intelligence is a crucial part of achieving academic success. Social-emotional skills relate directly to academic performance, emotional health and employability. CambriLearn’s Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) course teaches children to understand and appreciate differences and develop their own character for better self-awareness.
Parents and teachers should keep in mind that academic attainment is only part of the responsibility of an education system. Personal skills like creativity, time management, emotional intelligence, innovation and resilience are equally (if not more) important than getting good grades.
